


Fireworks

by xDomino009x



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Birthday, F/F, Fireworks, Fluff, Secret Relationship, Short One Shot, look at them being cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 22:01:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9517928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xDomino009x/pseuds/xDomino009x
Summary: Celene has a surprise for Briala. She remembered what day it is, even if Briala thought she'd forget





	

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah so have some fluff cos my last piece about these two was all angst really and I want them to be happy

“Another victory, another ball,” Celene muttered as she strolled back to her room. She was in the private quarters now, it didn't matter if her posture wasn’t perfect while no one could see her. “A wonder I haven't grown tired of them yet.”

Beside her, the elven handmaiden laughed and shook her head, a bold move for a servant, but Briala wasn’t just that to Celene. “You'd have to endure them even if you did grow to hate them,” she informed her lover, her tone informal. She would have shocked any other noblewomen with that comment, scarred them for life and caused a scandal, but Celene didn't mind. She preferred Briala speak her mind. “You're the Empress,” the elf added, “the people expect to see you.”

“Oh I know,” Celene replied wearily, turning the key to her room. The guards outside her room barely had time to bow their heads before the rustle of silk passed by them and the heavy wooden door was closed.

Inside Briala was silent as her frustrated Empress set about removing what jewellery and clothing she could on her own. The necklace clasp was small and fiddly, so Briala moved in to help, before beginning to remove the pins from Celene’s hair while the human woman focused on the rings on her fingers and took her mask from over her eyes. Beneath it her skin was almost white, covered in makeup. Her lips were cherry red and her eyes dusted with blue powder.

It didn't take them long to wipe it all away, Briala dabbing around Celene’s eyes with a slightly damp handkerchief and then brushing through Celene’s hair ready for bed.

“I just wish they weren't always so expected,” Celene confessed, looking out the window and continuing their conversation that had stopped when they’d reached earshot of the guards. There was a lot that had to stop within earshot of other people in Orlais, and complaining about the nobility as a whole was one of those things.

Briala nodded as she ran the bristles of the brush through her hair again. It was already smooth, knot free and ready to be tied up. But she had been the Empress’ handmaiden for years, her lover for many of those too. The feel of the brush was soothing, and she would do whatever she could to help Celene relax. Especially if she hoped they could get any sleep tonight. “For now just keep finding new gowns for me to tie you into and everyone will be pleased,” she said, a smirk on her face that Celene could see in the mirror of her dressing table.

They sat back in comfortable silence for a while, Briala humming some small tune that Celene had always loved but always failed to ask about. She assumed it was elvhen, but she’d been wrong assuming that before now.

Instead of making wild guesses, she sat back and enjoyed the feel of Briala’s hand running over her hair after the brush and gazed up at the stars outside the window. With a sudden jolt she arose, pushing the chair back and almost hitting Briala in her hurry to reach the window. The moon was high, hanging just above one of the towers of the palace. Celene turned to Briala, excitement written all over her unmasked face.

“I just remembered, Bria I have something for you.” She pushed open the windows and leaned out slightly. Briala was worried about how far out she was stretched, but Celene pulled herself back in without overbalancing and beckoned for the elf to join her. “Something to show you.”

Briala had only just reached the door when a flash of gold whizzed up into the air from the gardens. She had wondered what it was, magic maybe? Was the palace under attack? Should she rush Celene to safety?

But the explosion of blinding light that followed only brought a smile to the Empress’ tired face and Briala relaxed. Down in the gardens, a few of the guests who had remained at the ball even after their host had retired for the evening - Orlesians were like that sometimes - had gathered together to watch the spectacle.

Bursts of red and green and blue mana crackled in the sky, like new stars put into exotic constellations only to fizzle out seconds later. It was quite the display Celene had arranged. If she squinted, Briala could just make out the shadowy figures of the mages casting their bright lights into the sky when they illuminations lit up the back of the gardens. Briala watched the show with the same fascination as the guests down in the gardens.

Celene watched Briala though, marking to memory the way the colours lit up her face, the way the flashes reflected in her big elven eyes. She was so beautiful. She didn't need silk gowns or masks or makeup for it, she was simply beautiful.

“A bit flashy for a diplomatic win don't you think?” she asked with a smile, her eyes never leaving the bright lights in the sky.

“These aren't for my latest victory,” Celene shrugged as she waved the notion away, moving behind Briala and wrapping her arms around her waist, resting her chin on her shoulder. Briala was a perfect height for this. “These are for you, my love. Happy Birthday, Bria.” She brushed her lips against her neck in the gentlest of kisses.

Briala turned slightly, still watching the display but making sure Celene could hear her. “With everything happening I thought…”

“You thought I'd forget? How could I _ma vhenan_?” Briala loved to hear the human Empress speaking elvhen. True, that was one of three phrases she had learned from her, but it was a start. And it meant something to her to hear those words in the language of her people instead of the common tongue. Celene still put an awkward emphasis on the words as she tried to pronounce it correctly. She was trying.

Briala brought a hand up to the back of Celene’s neck, returning the embrace as best she could, fingers lost in her long hair. “I love you, Celene.”

Celene hummed and held her tighter. “And I you.” She didn't know what she would do without her.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey thanks for reading! Hope you had a good time  
> If you've got any thoughts throw them at me guys!


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